Catholic Leaders Call on Obama to Respect Life, Liberty (3533)

Cardinal Dolan and Pope Benedict XVI offer prayers for the president and the country.

Catholic leaders are calling on President Barack Obama to respect the fundamental American principles of life and religious liberty after he won a second term in office.

“We will continue to stand in defense of life, marriage and our first, most cherished liberty, religious freedom,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In a letter congratulating Obama on his re-election, Cardinal Dolan noted the “great responsibility” with which the American people have entrusted the president and assured him of the prayers of the U.S. bishops.

“In particular, we pray that you will exercise your office to pursue the common good, especially in care of the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn, the poor and the immigrant,” the cardinal said.

“We pray, too, that you will help restore a sense of civility to the public order, so our public conversations may be imbued with respect and charity toward everyone,” he added.

Cardinal Dolan’s commitment to defending life, marriage and religious liberty was echoed by other Catholic groups following Obama’s Nov. 6 win at the polls.

The U.S. bishops have clashed with the Obama administration over religious-liberty issues in recent months.

At the center of the conflict is a new federal mandate that requires employers, including religious hospitals, schools and charitable agencies, to offer health-insurance plans covering contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs.

Bishops from every diocese in the U.S. have spoken out against the mandate, warning that it poses a serious threat to religious freedom. More than 100 plaintiffs, including numerous Catholic dioceses, universities and charitable organizations, have filed lawsuits challenging the mandate.

The importance of religious freedom was also emphasized in Pope Benedict XVI’s message to Obama.

In the letter, which was sent through the apostolic nunciature in Washington, the Pope offered best wishes to Obama and promised prayers for the president in the coming years.

The Holy Father also said he hopes that the American founding ideals of freedom and justice may hold a prominent place in the nation’s future.

Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, noted that "the U.S. president has an immense responsibility, not only in his own country, but also towards the rest of the world, given the role the U.S.A. plays at an international level.”

"For this reason, we hope that President Obama will respond to his fellow citizens' expectations,” he said, “serving law and justice for the good and development of all people and respecting essential human and spiritual values while promoting a culture of life and religious freedom."

Comments

paulaf: An attack on the policies of Obama is not a personal attack. It is a confrontation with his amoral policies concerning right to life supposedly guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. It is an attack on his intent to replace God’s covenant of marriage between one man and one woman with an abomination Anyone who thinks such a person will listen to vain exhortations to preserve our religious freedom is “whistling in the graveyard”. Voters who elected him have committed treason against our founding principles and against the God our nation once trusted. Forget about asking God to bless a nation guilty of killing over 59 million of its most defenseless citizens. Don’t forget that God’s justice has priority over his mercy.

Posted by Nancy D. on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2012 11:15 AM (EDT):

In regards to those who profess to be Catholic, while denying The Word of God Is The Word of God, or claiming it is not sinful to withhold The Truth from those who have an inherent Right to come to know, Love, and serve The True God, when The Son of God returns to serve Justice, how can He say to His Father, “Forgive them, they do not know what they do”?

Posted by PaulaF on Tuesday, Nov 20, 2012 12:26 AM (EDT):

If the article is about the Church’s reaction to the HHS mandate and post-election congratulations to President Obama .... i am not clear on why the comments have launched off into personal attacks on our elected President and those who voted for him. Presidential elections take place every four years. While I can appreciate and understand the ‘idea’ of having uniformity in Federal government policies and programs, I am very concerned when my religious group is required to take actions that violate their documented beliefs, but I feel the issue needs to be handled in a civil manner. I hope the Church will continue to dialogue with the government while pursuing legal options. I am really surprised that intense attacks were submitted by my ‘fellow’ Catholics. The Church has always taught us to love God and our fellow man (woman), God judges, and all things are possible through prayer. So while we may not always agree, who among us is blameless? I think the real solution could be ... What would Our Lord do or say? Reflecting His love to all we meet ... Isn’t that our true responsibility?

Posted by Ron Klemme on Sunday, Nov 11, 2012 10:09 PM (EDT):

It just seems so odd that anyone should feel the need to remind our president to do the right thing in respect to life and liberty. My next door neighbor, George Bush (M in the middle) is a West Point grad and retired Major General. As we walked Charlie and Skippy this morning he looked me in the eye and said “Ron, no matter how bad we feel we have to just keep smiling. Its a different country than we grew up in. Just keep smiling.” It is a different country and realize that one day we will all have to leave it. I will leave knowing that I fought the good fight and called on others to do the same.

As an Orthodox Christian (under the Antiochian Archdiocese but living abroad) we assert that Abortion is evil. The Homosexual condition itself is not evil but its sexual action is. Immigration is not evil, but illegal immigration is (Let me make it clear that I’m not talking about refugees here). Liberalism is a secular concept—neither the Apostles nor Church Father’s speak of it. Its formulation has no foundation in the history of the Church. This is not ‘liberal bashing’ it’s just my attempt to counter the liberal position. It is written that our Lord Jesus Christ said “the poor will always be with us.” And work among the poor is good—so long as the work done does not undermine the soul of a person or persons. Truth be told, in light of the ‘Magesterium’ (teaching authority of the Catholic Church), liberal theology oft runs contrary to Chuch Teaching, which according to the Catholic Church, is a “GIFT of the HOLY SPIRIT.” So, If you support abortion rights, if you support homosexual marriage, if you support illegal immigration one could say that liberalism is little more than a form of athieistic blasphemy in the sense that the Holy Spirit does not guide the Church of God—hence calling God a liar—because one would ‘choose’ not have to ‘follow’ that which the Holy Spirit teaches through His Church—AND—If one believes that the Holy Spirit DOES NOT guide the Church then the Third Person of the Holy Trinity must not therefore exist and then neither does God. See how liberal theology works? This is why, liberalism is one of the very serious problems faced by Christians (an all people) in our nation as each one of the primary ‘issues’ they defend are ones which destroy life in one way or another. If God is Love, and Jesus Christ (the Word) is God, and He’s is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, one should protect all three don’t you think? We Orthodox talk A LOT about Image and Likeness, as we believe as the Old Testament clearly shows, that man and woman were created by God in His Image and Likeness. The Apostle Paul tells us in the Book of Hebrews that Jesus Christ himself came as ‘The Express Image of the Father.” We refer to the Holy Virgin, St. Mary, as the ‘Throne of God’ for he borrowed flesh from her, dwelt in her womb, and became Man and was like us in all ways, save sin. Abortion kills unborn children who bear within them the indestructable Image of God. In like manner, homosexual unions are destructive (at least preventative) because the reproductive and digestive systems are completely incompatable for procreation and destroy the Image of united Man and Woman in Christ. Illegal immigration steals resources (hence, livelihood and life) from the body of citizens of a particular nation—in the case of the United States, it’s the legislated iconoclasm of a nation at work. It’s something like Lady Liberty meets Frankenstein’s Bride. I have no problem with visitors or refugees but it’s not right for a man or woman to come here and undermine the people who legitimately pay taxes and live here. Anyway, that’s just my opinion.

Prayer for strength? What manner of strength? Strength in his own purpose? His ideologies? That which he defends and supports? He doesn’t need physical strength—he’s as fit as they get. A prayer for wisdom? What kind of wisdom? The Wisdom of God or wisdom of men and the world? The tree is known by its fruit and they still think that this fruit bears strength or wisdom? God bless Smiley-Joe Biden and the smorgasbord of socialism. Perhaps the Church could have served up a helping of excommunication for a main dish and penance for dessert? That would be a real blessing to him as it would place him in a position to repent and change his life. The once great and Holy Church of Rome—with her centuries of Martyrs who witnessed for Christ with their very blood and beings—elects a coward to the head of their American synod—one who placates and compromises the witness of her Great and Holy Martyrs. It is written that the demon ‘never sleeps.’ He goes on working toward our destruction and we always allow it… what stupid people we are and in such dire need of mercy and Grace! Last week, my wife and I took some Orthodox Christians to Eschau in the Alsace of France to venerate the relics of St. Sophia, and her three children—St. Faith, St. Hope, St. Charity—all girls between the ages of 9 to 12 who were tortured in an unspeakable manner (we know what that means) and martyred in Rome in the early 2nd Century under Emperor Hadrian because they would not deny Christ. St. Sophia was so destroyed by this she wept at their tomb for three days and then died herself of a broken heart. Christians are always aborted in the womb of the world—that is ‘society.’ This is the witness of the Holy Martyrs of Rome and his Eminence, Archbishop Dolan, and the so-called monastics of no habit with him, ompromise what’s left of the Apostolic Faith and Gospel witness because they did not do what’s right. They promoted militant atheists for their causes of ‘social justice’—a term never used by the Father’s of the Church and has no root in Sacred Tradition—and now try to protect themselves from the socialist policies which attack the very core of Life in Christ which they, themselves, helped to stablish. A little Déjà-vu anyone? As for immigration, nobody argues that it’s a bad thing—but it must be legal. Otherwise, they are little more than liars and thieves and those who allow dishonest immigration also participate in their sin… nothing more. The Holy Family were not Immigrants—they were refugees—there’s a difference. They fled to Egypt because they were being persecuted under pain of death. Today the Al’Muharraqqy Monastery in Egypt exists there because it was the place of their refuge—not their permanence—“for here, we have no lasting home.’ They then returned to their homeland. This was the example of the Holy Family and it is written that way in Luke’s Gospel. Go read it for yourself! The majority of people illegally crossing our borders are not refugees—if they are, they should be granted some sort of asylum—but temporary—until such time that a legal citizenship process can be determined and if it is in the country’s best interest or the best interest of the refugees. As for abortion, again, the Holy Synod of Catholic Bishops were catalyst to ensure this administration be in power in the first place. This same Synod pushed the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) without reading the fine-print pro-death script… until it was too late. This falls on their heads and the blood of the unborn cries to God for justice. Sometimes, it’s better to love one’s enemies from a distance—especially when we have duty to protect the life of our nation and her children from all harm. Here we are on the eve of the Advent Season and Cardinal Dolan is shaking hands with the Enemies of the Incarnation when he should be shaking their dust from his feet. May Jesus Christ, our True God, have mercy on us and save us—for He is a Good God and Loves mankind. Amen.

Posted by Viola M. Rose on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 11:48 PM (EDT):

It is incredibly sad that Catholics who voted for Obama couldn’t trust God, they trusted Obama instead. He had them so scared, yes, he used scare tactics and that worked, others couldn’t see the forest for the trees It seems we have become unable to reason properly, how pathetic is that. As a result immorality will abound, more abortions, same sex marriage, etc. This once great nation is going down big time. After this time of grief, all Catholics, Christians and people of good will must come together fast and pray, pray our rosaries and come together as believers in the One, True God and support one another in combating the evil that plagues our country. God bless you and God Bless America.

Posted by vance on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 11:13 PM (EDT):

Cardinal Dolan doesn’t have “A Prayer” with Obama. Obama is going to pursuit the HHS Mandate like a demon out of hell. I’m frankly sick and tired of hearing this mealy mouth, “Lets’ Pray for Obama” and “Let’s Sing Coombuyaa”. It’s time for the church leaders to get real and stand up to Obama and the Liberal Establishment. If they don’t have the stomach for the fight, then they need to step down and go do something else.

Posted by Gene on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 9:33 PM (EDT):

Steve Williams, try to distinguish between the small minority of Catholics who regularly practice their faith and the larger majority of baptized Catholics that don’t attend Mass nor practice their faith.

Posted by Rick on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 8:11 PM (EDT):

I don’t think you can argue with “M’s” point. The words of the Repugnant Party claim they are pro-life, but their actions cause more abortions. Democrats understand the complexity of the issue, and work to reduce the number of abortions occurring. The Repugnant Party could do the same thing, but it would cost them the issue and votes. So they gladly sacrifice the unborn because it brings them votes. This is the reality of the situation, but it is rather complicated to understand and requires more grey matter than is available to most conservatives.

Posted by Steve Williams on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 5:22 PM (EDT):

Democrats are not more pro life than republicans. If you believe that you are a dunce. The donkey in white house does not give a damn about catholics or christians. Remember “actions speak louder that words!” Look what the muslim has done. Look at the HHS mandate. Hello catholics are you awake? Are you so blind? Are you so stupid? I am a convert and I am very very very upset that a very large number of SO CALLED catholics voted for this scum. I am so pissed, mad, depressed, upset that I am questioning why am I a catholic? Based on what I have seen from cradle catholics who chose a muslim over a morman, I have come to the conclusion that they truly are NOT TRUE CHRISTIANS! Or if they think so, then roman catholics are not a true christian following.

May the democrat loving catholics get there punishment!!!

Posted by Dave Rusch on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 2:14 PM (EDT):

It’s all here: America’s culture of death, so pervasive and still advancing in our society, is the fundamental issue at the heart of many major social problems facing us today. It lies behind the economic recession and, perhaps, the collapse of our economy; the pending denial of health care to the elderly and disabled; the continued increase in sexual permissiveness and the demise of marriage between a man and a woman as the fundamental family unit; and finally, the potential for the rise of socialism in our society.

Posted by Bob Rowland on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 1:25 PM (EDT):

M on: Your abject stupidity is on display for all to see. God help you.

Posted by Frank on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 1:03 PM (EDT):

@M: You couldn’t be more wrong. While it is true that we still have Roe v. Wade, if it weren’t for a Republican (Bush), partial birth abortion would still be legal, as it came to be under a Democrat (Clinton). Moreover, presidents have *no* control over court rulings. The best they can do is nominate like-minded judges to the bench, and since vacancies on the Supreme Court don’t come along very often, it is no surprise that Roe v. Wade hasn’t changed. Although I am an Independent and have no desire to defend the Republican party, I believe in being fair—and your comments are far from it.

Posted by Veronika on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 12:58 PM (EDT):

M writes: “Democrats are more Pro-Life than Republicans.”
wow. Last I checked the Dems enshrined Roe vs. Wade in their party platform.
Please do tell how that is more pro-life?
Pro-life should be mean from womb to tomb.
Poverty is a huge problem that needs to be combated and there are services and charities that assist the poor.
But the most vulnerable in the world, those in the womb, are left to rely on ONE person, the mother, and if she decides to snuff out that life, there is no charity, or NGO, or court system or friend, or neighbour or Church to go to. They have zero options.
Furthermore I would be thrilled to know where you get the stats used in your post regarding abortions.

Posted by P)hyllis Poole on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 11:39 AM (EDT):

THIS BATTLE IS BETWEEN GOD AND THE DEVIL ——FOR SOULS!-not parties
When people realize what is happening, they will have been enlightened by the Holy Spirit
Search PopeLeoXIII and take stock of the change in our world since then -1880’s
AND then 3daysdarkness———-it’s coming!
Pray now for the conversion of all the devil’s workers here on earth. Are all the rosaries going to stop now???
We prayed for a good outcome of the election - we got it. God answers our prayers. I feel there must have been something much more evil in Romney than Obama. Afterall Romney is a liar, had given illegal permits for gays to be married in Ma.. AND his health care bill in Ma was Obama’s blueprint. Romney says he would have repealed it -but could we believe him -or would his have been even worse. He did not give catholics the right of conscience- it was proven- even tho’ he lied and said he did!!!!
Santorum would have defeated Obama!
WE NOW HAVE TO KEEP UP THE ROSARIES AND PRAY FOR THE CONVERSION OF OBAMA!!
PLEASE GOD HELP US!!!
=

Posted by Ave Maria on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 9:12 AM (EDT):

The right to life is not a republican nor a democrat issue BUT a NATION’S - ours - the United States of America; the Bishops and the Pope send their words in hopes of conversion of our beloved country to ending the vicious cyle of the propagation of the culture of death. We must as one nation understand the consequences of our action when it defies the COMMANDMENTS of God, with hopes that through united prayers again know there is ONE but just ONE TRUTH - God’s WORD.

Posted by Nancy D. on Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 2:09 AM (EDT):

That last paragraph, sure sounds like secular humanism to me. I wonder what is going on in the Vatican.

Posted by Dave Rusch on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012 11:43 PM (EDT):

Oh God - stop it. This is like asking a wolf to guard the henhouse. The only response to BO is complete defiance and jail if necessary. The faithful Catholics I know can no longer stand the bishops co towing to the new Hitler. ENOUGH.

Posted by Defender of Life on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012 9:38 PM (EDT):

Is the person “M” delusional? There were many restrictions on abortion practices during the Republican and especially the Bush era which was immediately stricken out by Obama the minute he took office. There were also many concessions to the illegals than ever occurred with Obama and that’s why the Spanish radio station interviewers pined him to the wall on that issue. Talk about derisive and divisive, the Democratic tactic is to pit the poor against the rich; their “traditional” “Class” warfare. The Democratic planque is unabashedly Pro Abortion and Pro Gay Marriage and anti God. If you saw their Convention, you know that is the truth.
Thank God for the Bishop Ricken in Wisconsin who said when you vote for a Pro Abortion Politician, you jeopardize the state of your soul.
Obama has been and is the MOST Pro Abortion politician in history.
It’s public history for all to check out.
He is also attacking the Catholic Church’s right of freedom of conscience with his HHS Mandate and that is why the Church is suing the government! Pray in front of any Planned Parenthood (like I do) and you’ll see those who attack us while praying peacefully, have Obama stickers on their cars. The Obama supporters don’t want “Life” for the unborn, they want to be able to choose: “Abortion” = DEATH to the unborn. One thing is certain, when we finally stand in front of the Lord and He asked what we have done to help the unborn, the Obama supporters will have to do a lot of fast-talking to weasel out of it.

Posted by Linda Nelson on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012 8:57 PM (EDT):

That the Bishops are defending marriage is a good thing. Marriage between something other than a man and a woman like Obama is advocating for homosexuals? Well, there is one very important, very special thing that is totally missing from “same-sex marriage”. Conjugal love.

One can easily be deceived, after practice, into thinking that real love is present in the sex act (i.e., during orgasm while inside someone else’s body) and really think that during this exhilarating bodily function that this (and the person on the reception end) is something truly desirable and loving, and the act is genuinely “good” in the Godly sense. Just ask adulterers and fornicators. Now ask homosexuals. The truth is, none of these unnatural, unhappy acts are anything like the REAL thing. The problem here (yes, there is a problem) is that God is not involved in any of this.

There are many faces of satan, who does his best to emulate God in order to fool people into thinking they are doing the right thing, that they are happy, and should remain on the same track doing the same thing over and over. With the case of homosexual sex and pretend marriages, he is having his fill in America today while laughing all the way.

Being all kissy-huggy and flaunting it does not show happiness in any sense. It shows what satan wants us to see - the glint of hatred that seems like love, the smile of ridicule that seems like joy, the touch of death that seems like life, the loveless separation that seems like a loving relationship. By death I mean absence of life. By ridicule I mean absence of joy. By hatred I mean absence of love. By loveless separation I mean absence of a loving relationship. God knows what life, joy, relationships and love are, and satan is working constantly to keep us from sharing what God knows. “Seems like” is the satanic clincher. The veil that satan pulls over our eyes when he is upon us is effective, indeed.

Let us ask God to share His love, joy, relationships and life with us. Once people get a taste of God’s REAL thing, they’ll never go back. Have pity on the souls who do not know the real thing - God and His beautiful love that we can know and share!

Posted by M on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012 5:24 PM (EDT):

I wonder…do the pope and bishops send elected Republicans the same cautionary note? They certainly should. The Republican platform of the last few decades has been blatantly derisive, even hateful, toward “the most vulnerable among us, including…the poor and the immigrant.”
And abortion? The dirty secret is that abortion rates trend upward during Republican presidencies and down during Democratic presidencies, suggesting that battling poverty is a truly effective but ignored Pro-Life strategy.
Furthermore, Republicans show little interest in true change. They held the House, Senate, and Presidency for SIX YEARS…and not a thing was done to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Inevitable conclusion: in actual practice, Democrats are more Pro-Life than Republicans. Shocking.

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